A Voyager Nativity
by scifiromance
Summary: Five years after Voyager's return to Earth, the senior officers are reunited to attend Miral's kindergarten Christmas pageant... C/7, P/T and Harry/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: This fic is set five years after Voyager returns to Earth. I realise the Star Trek universe never really referred to Christmas at all, let alone all the traditional stuff I'm going to mention in this, but this story is just some fun fluff! Thanks to xXBrightsideBumblebeeXx for encouraging this idea, I dedicate it to her! **

"Seven, are you ready to go?" Chakotay called into their bedroom, poking his head through the doorway to see his heavily pregnant wife perched precariously on the edge of their bed, obviously struggling to squeeze her feet into a pair of necessarily flat but pretty shoes.

She met his gaze with a frustrated frown on her face as she tried to bend over to buckle the shoe strap. "I had to replicate a new pair of shoes; my favoured pair does not fit anymore." She explained in a disgruntled tone while still looking a little sheepish as she added, "I apologise for the delay, I do not wish to keep Tom and B'Elanna waiting."

Chakotay's smile in return was warm with love and reassurance. "Don't worry, you know that with Miral and Olly's antics they always run a little late too." He reminded her wryly before peering at her tired face anxiously, "Have your ankles swollen suddenly? The Doctor said that could be a sign of high blood pressure…"

Seven patted his arm knowingly as he knelt down beside her. "I checked that myself, it's normal." She told him soothingly before sighing slightly as she caught sight of herself in the mirror. "I've just gained more weight, that's all."

"If I remember rightly, the Doctor said your weight was perfect for someone who's two weeks away from having twins." Chakotay remarked calmly as he unobtrusively helped her with the shoes and to help her stand up. "If you're too tired, I'm sure Tom and B'Elanna will understand if we don't go…"

"I'm fine." Seven answered a little too sharply, rubbing her brow in exasperation with herself as she shot him an apologetic look. "I am fine Chakotay, really. You know Miral and Oliver will be disappointed if we do not attend their pageant."

Chakotay winced a little in acknowledgement. "I know, who do you think Miral roped into practising her lines with her?"

Seven's eyebrow rose in amusement, "And what did she think of your acting skills?"

Chakotay chuckled under his breath. "Not as good as her dad's but better than the Doctor's."

Seven laughed. "I don't think you should repeat that particular quote of hers to her doting godfather."

"I wouldn't dream of it, but Tom overheard and I wouldn't put it past him…" Chakotay replied, taking Seven's arm to help her downstairs.

Seven laughed again at the thought of the Doctor's expression as she shrugged her coat on over her shoulders, quickly giving up on trying to button up it over her huge bump. "How many roles is Miral playing again? From what B'Elanna told me, the teachers' plans for show are…ambitious."

"That's putting it lightly." Chakotay responded as he found the car keys. "I think they're going to cover scenes from the mythology of five different worlds! All I can remember is that she's an elf in the Santa scene and an angel in the nativity…"

Seven's brow furrowed slightly, even after five years immersed in human culture on Earth, she was still uncertain about all the different Christmas traditions. "Many worlds have winter solstice celebrations, but humanity seems to take it to another level of importance, even after science has overtaken religion, why?"

Chakotay paused thoughtfully; his wife could still surprise him with her probing questions. "I'm not sure really. Christmas has been maintained more than other celebrations, including those of my own people, because it had such a worldwide observance for so many centuries and everybody likes to give and receive presents, right? And spend time with their families?"

Seven nodded slowly as she absorbed his insight. "I have found that I have enjoyed the experience immensely in previous years…" She smiled at him lovingly, "…but that is mostly your doing." She added softly, thinking back to their engagement three years previously, on Christmas Eve. "I suppose I should stop expecting total historical accuracy from children's re-enactments, the First Contact Day Festival was amusing rather than informative.

"Oh, Miral's going to have _that_ story haunting her until her dying day!" Chakotay joked as he gathered up the collection of presents they were taking with them to the Paris residence.

* * *

><p>Chakotay's knock on the Paris' wreath adorned door was immediately answered by a small figure, three year old Oliver Paris, who poked his blonde head out from behind the barely open door, his ridged brow crinkling in delight at the sight of his beloved godparents. "Mewwy Kistmas!" he announced, his small mouth bursting with food, presumably chocolate, given the brown streaks around his lips.<p>

"Merry Christmas to you too Oliver." Seven replied affectionately, while nervously noting the fact that the boy had tinsel wrapped around his ankles, an accident waiting to happen.

Chakotay, seeing the direction of her gaze, acted quickly by bundling the boy up in his arms, making Oliver giggle wildly. "How did you get so tangled up?" Chakotay asked him curiously as he began to unwind the tinsel.

"Miral thought it would be funny." Oliver replied, thumb in mouth.

"Oh did she now?" Tom remarked drily as he finally reached the doorway where his guests were standing, "I'm going to have to have a talk with her about that aren't I? Now let your Aunt and Uncle in the house for a few minutes before we leave, okay?" When Oliver refused by way of stubbornly tightening his grip around Chakotay's neck, Tom unceremoniously took him into his own arms with a grunt and set the child back down in the hallway. "Go and see if your Mommy has finished with your snowman's outfit yet son, alright?" Tom advised, laughing as the boy sped off and finally turning his full attention on Chakotay and Seven. "Thanks for coming; I know everything is a little hectic. I can't believe the school thought it would be a good idea to leave the kids' show until the 23th, we're going to have to have a wrapping marathon tomorrow…" He sighed in exasperation but the grin on his face showed his real joy.

"Speaking of presents, I've got ours in the car waiting to be brought in." Chakotay confided quietly to his friend, afraid of any children listening in.

"Ah, Santa has made a delivery has he?" Tom joked, "Come on, I'll show you where we're putting them." He turned to Seven with a smile as he took in her blooming figure, "You're looking great Seven. It's almost over, right?"

"Two weeks to go." Seven confirmed before looking at Tom questioningly, "Why is B'Elanna _making _Oliver's costume? Couldn't she replicate one?"

"Oh, that would be too easy!" Tom answered sarcastically, "Replicators aren't exactly programmed with these sorts of costumes in mind." He ran a hand through his hair, "I think B'Elanna could use a break, the Admiral and Sam Wildman are already in the kitchen trying to help her out, but…"

"Of course." Seven said quickly, pausing briefly to watch the two men becoming overwhelmed with presents before heading into the familiar house. Her natural aversion to clutter reared its head as she saw how many of the reception rooms had been given over to pre-Christmas activity, cleaning materials, old toys, decorations, cards… She couldn't help thinking of her carefully immaculate but as yet empty nursery at home. Was she going to be able to cope with all the forthcoming upheaval? She doubted she could take all this chaos in her stride like Tom and B'Elanna seemed to be able to… She gulped slightly as a twinge of fear ran through her, but it was soon dismissed by a strong kick in the ribs by one baby and one on the other side by the second. She was just going to _have _to adapt…

Her uneasy thoughts were pushed aside by a young voice beside her. "Auntie Seven, will you help me?" Miral Paris asked sweetly, gazing up at her former Borg friend with a mischievous glint in her eyes that Seven didn't fail to notice.

"Help you with what exactly Miral?" Seven asked clearly, making the little girl giggle.

"Come and see." She whispered in a conspiratorial tone, pressing a finger to her lips then firmly taking Seven's hand and insistently leading her into the living room. "Don't wake up Uncle Harry!" she ordered suddenly, causing Seven to look around the room for her old crewmate, now a Commander, and to find him sprawled out on the sofa, dead to the world and with a little drool rolling down his chin. The cuteness in this picture overruled the humour however, since the reason Harry was so sleep deprived, his two month old son Ben, was curled up on his chest, as deeply asleep as his father.

"I won't." Seven assured the girl, her heart warmed by the scene. Harry's half Andorian wife Elka had not had an easy pregnancy and Ben had only been released from the hospital the week before. It was good to see father and son bonding so well after an enforced separation. "Now, what is it you want my assistance with?" she asked as Miral drew to a halt in front of the Christmas tree, slightly lopsided after Oliver had broken one of the stabilisers at the bottom but otherwise very pretty.

Miral pointed up to the top branches, where foil wrapped decorations could be seen hiding among the jolly baubles and glittering tinsel. "Mommy and Daddy hung chocolates up there…"

"And you want me to get one down for you?" Seven finished for her, quirking an amused brow at the five year old, who blushed ever so slightly under Seven's penetrating gaze.

"Well yeah, but they're only up there so Olly can't reach them." Miral explained quickly, "_I'm _allowed them Seven." She must've seen that she wasn't being believed, because she quickly added, "You can eat one too, for the babies."

Seven couldn't help but laugh at her attempt at bribery, good naturedly plucking a star shaped chocolate from the tree and giving it to the little girl. "You can give one each to my babies next year, okay?"

Miral beamed at her, clutching the chocolate so hard Seven was quite certain it would be melted before it ever reached her mouth. "Okay!"

With that Miral sped off, calling for Naomi to come play with her, leaving Seven to make her way into the crowded kitchen, where B'Elanna's frustrated exclamations could easily be overheard, "How am I supposed to know what a Terrelian winter sprite is supposed to look like? If they're asked to do this next year I'm transferring both of them to a different school…"

"I believe Terrelian winter sprites are traditionally represented in white and blue clothing." Seven informed her calmly as she entered the kitchen.

B'Elanna exhaled in relief. "That I can do, she's got a blue and white t-shirt..." She smiled at Seven, "Tom didn't tell me you'd arrived. Where's Chakotay?"

"Arranging present delivery." Seven said, earning laughs from the other women in the room, Admiral Janeway, Samantha Wildman and Elka Kim. "I gave Miral a piece of confectionary from your Christmas tree, is that okay?"

"She's pulled that trick on everyone so far!" B'Elanna laughed in reply, offering Seven a chair as she did so, which Seven gratefully sank into. "At the end it seems like nine years rather than nine months doesn't it?" she commented sympathetically.

"Perhaps a small exaggeration, but true of my feelings." Seven answered with a sigh.

"I remember I felt so uncomfortable, I can't really believe now that I managed to work until the end!" Samantha Wildman recalled with a wry smile.

Seven frowned. "The Doctor and Chakotay are conspiring to stop me doing anything constructive…"

The Admiral gave Seven's shoulder a motherly pat of understanding. "Being pregnant is very constructive Seven. Chakotay is just worried about you that's all, I for one think you're glowing." She smiled in relief, glad to see that her protégée looked as resilient as she did, after all the heartbreak she'd been through.

"Thank you Admiral, please reassure Chakotay in that belief." Seven said thickly, regretting how ungrateful she had sounded.

"You'll be run off your feet when the twins come, I can't imagine two!" Elka exclaimed.

"I can't imagine not having both of mine now." B'Elanna countered softly before turning back to her list of needed costumes. "Where the hell am I supposed to get a halo from?"

"Have you got any type of tubing or something?" The Admiral suggested.

"Just this." B'Elanna sceptically pulled out the plastic tube on which some fabric had been rolled.

"I'll make an attempt." Seven offered, taking the tube in her unnaturally strong hands and deftly bending it into a circle.

"Thanks." B'Elanna said as she hurriedly began wrapping the makeshift "halo" in tinsel. "That will have to do, or else we're going to be late. Let's round up the husbands and kids and get going."

**A/n: This was a very self-indulgent piece of fluff, but hey it's almost Christmas so I think I can get away with it. There's more to come but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW this chapter! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: Wow, I'm really flattered by the great response this fic has garnered so far! Thanks everyone, please review again! :D Also thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my other Voyager Christmas fic, "Mistletoe Matchmaking."**

"Wow, it's a great turnout." Chakotay commented, impressed as he looked around the school hall which had been converted into a makeshift theatre for the occasion. It was packed, not only with excited, eclectically costumed children and their families but also with miniature Christmas trees at the end of each row of seats and dangling strings of rainbow coloured fairy hanging just above many adult heads.

"Yeah, they've gone all out." B'Elanna agreed distractedly as Miral tugged her insistently towards the other end of the hall, muttering about being late, and Olly snuffled about his snowman suit being itchy. "Alright Miral, I know you need to get backstage but let me catch my breath first." She told her daughter in sharp exasperation before bending down to her son to wipe his fussy tears, "I'm sure they'll be able to loosen the costume so it doesn't itch, Olly…" She soothed the toddler before shooting her friends an apologetic glance, "Will you all be okay to find your seats? I need help to get these two ready…" She scanned the group for her husband, "Where's Tom? He was supposed to be bringing in the other costumes…"

"One of the bags ripped, Harry is helping him to carry them in." Elka explained as she joined them.

"Oh great…" B'Elanna muttered sarcastically, causing her old comrade Chakotay to smile at her.

"Relax B'Elanna, everything is fine. You go and deal with the kids and we'll send Tom to you when he comes." He reassured her kindly.

B'Elanna smiled wearily and pushed her children forward. "Say thank you to everyone for coming to your pageant."

Miral and Olly beamed well practised grins up at the group of familiar adults. "Thank you!" They announced in unison, earning affectionate chuckles from their friends before Miral's face fell. "Where's the Doctor? He _promised _he'd come to see me!" she said in a hurt tone.

"I am certain he is on his way." Seven soothed her hurriedly, "He is programmed to be punctual."

Miral peered up at Seven's serious face doubtfully, "Really?"

"There he is now!" The Admiral exclaimed, pointing the hologram out to Miral as he rushed over. "He would never miss his only goddaughter's stage debut now would he?" she reminded the child with a warm smile as the Doctor reached them and scooped Miral up.

"Sorry about that." The Doctor apologised as he let the little girl wrap her arms around his neck. "There are only so many things a hologram can control, and how many emergency admissions I get in any given night isn't one of them."

"We're still waiting for Tom and Harry to come back with the costumes anyway Doctor, and I don't see Tuvok and his family yet." Chakotay told him while smiling at Miral, "Miral just wanted her godfather here to wish her luck."

The Doctor beamed, he really did have a close relationship with the Paris' eldest, despite the fact that the former crew of Voyager was inevitably more disparate now that they'd all settled in various areas of Earth and the Alpha Quadrant. "I'm sure you and Olly will do wonderfully Miral, we'll all be clapping really hard!" He assured the girl affectionately, with smiles of agreement from his friends, as he handed her back to B'Elanna.

"Right, you've seen them all, let's get the two of you backstage." B'Elanna ordered firmly as she began to usher her children backstage to where they could all hear teachers struggling to corral children into their places for the start of the show. "I'll see you all later!" she told her old friends quickly before rushing away out of sight.

"She's got a hectic evening ahead." Chakotay remarked with a chuckle as he wrapped a protective arm around Seven, who had shrunk instinctively into his side as an influx of audience members began to crush around them. "Ready to sit down?" I'm sure Tom, B'Elanna and Harry will be able to find us."

"Yes, please." Seven acquiesced quietly, grateful for his attentiveness. He knew her well enough to recognise the discomfort she was experiencing from standing too long, a dull ache had long since spread up from her feet to her lower back. They had just reached their assigned seating aisle when Seven felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned to see Tuvok at her side. "Tuvok! It is a pleasure to see you." She greeted him, her delight genuine. She hadn't seen Voyager's former chief of security since the five year reunion six months ago, just after he'd been promoted to Captain of the U.S.S Spock, and the day when she and Chakotay had first announced the news of her pregnancy.

"Likewise Seven, it has been too long." Tuvok replied, allowing a hint of his real, almost fatherly, affection for the freed drone to seep into his usual unflappable tone as he took in her much changed appearance. "I presume your pregnancy is progressing well?"

"The Doctor is satisfied." Seven answered with a relieved nod.

"It's not been easy Tuvok, but we're on the end straits now." Chakotay confided as he warmly took the Vulcan's outstretched hand. "It really is great to see you."

"I could not agree more Chakotay. The U.S.S Spock is docked at Utopia Planetia undergoing repairs so I am on leave for two months, I decided to spend the majority of my leave on Earth."

"Two months? That means you'll get to meet the babies straight away then." Chakotay said, pleased.

"I doubt Seven will be able to take it for two more months Chakotay!" Tom joked as he appeared behind them, carrying a large bag and with Harry in tow. "If I were still a betting man I'd say you could end up with a Christmas delivery!" He laughed good-naturedly as a panic stricken expressions crossed the faces of both parents-to-be, "Don't worry, you're both ready, I know it." He assured them more seriously before addressing Tuvok with a grin, "Hey Tuvok, B'Elanna will be happy to see you! Is that new Chief Engineer of yours still giving you trouble?"

Tuvok was prevented from replying by an announcement over the loudspeaker, "The audience are now requested to take their seats. The show will be starting in five minutes."

Tom hurriedly gathered up all the bags, smiling apologetically at his friends, "I'd better get these to the kids, everyone is invited to our house afterwards by the way."

* * *

><p>Greetings were exchanged and seats found before the curtain rose to a wave of applause. Miral was only in one scene in the first half. This role, as a Terrelian winter sprite, had the least complex outfit, but Miral made up for that in pure exuberance. Supposed to represent winter, she waved her icicle wand with abandon and sang her song almost flawlessly, despite her fellow winter sprite knocking down a stage light as she reached the final chorus, but it was the end of the scene where she came into her own. A group of children representing spring were supposed to chase the winter sprites away, but Miral cheekily ran circles around her pursuers, only retreating when her teacher appeared from the wings of the stage to wave her off in exasperation, earning chortles of laughter from the crowd as the curtain descended for the interval.<p>

"Are you okay Seven?" Naomi asked in concern as she squeezed past the people filing out of their seats to get snacks to reach her friend and sit down beside her.

Seven smiled at her weakly as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I am fine Naomi, the twins are kicking me a little too hard, that's all."

Naomi grinned, "They must be enjoying the show then!" she concluded before sighing slightly, "Neelix would love this."

"I'm sure that he would." Seven agreed softly. She knew it was hard for Naomi to be separated from her godfather, using the same relay Voyager had once used to contact Starfleet meant that Neelix could only communicate with his former crewmates for minutes at a time. "How is Neelix? I haven't been able to contact him this month."

"He's really happy." Naomi began, "Alexia really enjoyed her third birthday party and they've finished moving house…" She smiled to herself at the thought of Neelix's daughter, whose middle name was Naomi after herself, but was stopped from continuing by the slow rise of the curtain. "Oh it's starting again! I'd better get back to Mom and Dad. Will you and Chakotay be coming back to Tom and B'Elanna's later?"

"We plan to." Seven confirmed with a quick glance at her husband, who nodded.

"I'll see you later then!" Naomi replied happily as she hurried back to her seat just as the show began again.

The scene opened in what was presumably supposed to be a stable, considering the scraps of straw on the floor and the groups of pre-school children dressed up as a variety of animals, including Olly, who looked adorable in his donkey suit, despite the fact that the hood of the costume where the ears were pinned kept falling down and that he continually waved frantically at his dad in the audience. Two of Miral's classmates stood centre stage around a cradle, looking like deer in headlights, while three boys with foil crowns on their heads stood to the left and three others stood to the right gripping sheppard crooks that stood taller than they themselves did. Finally the troop angels, led by an upbeat Miral, stood at the front. "A star, the brightest in the sky, guided…" Miral paused, shoving her halo up as it slid down to her nose mid speech, "…the three Wise Men and the three sheppards to the stable…" Another pause as the halo slipped again. This time Miral lost her patience and threw it on the ground before finishing her line, "…where their new King had been born." Everyone laughed and "awwwed" before the next part of the story, about the three gifts, was told by the next angel, although Seven for one couldn't quite understand why mirth and frankincense would be useful to care for a baby.

When the children finished that story and left the stage, the headteacher, a Bolian called Mrs Taria, come on alone. "I want to thank everyone who has attended our show this year, it's been great fun for the children and staff. We just have one more scene to perform, the children's favourite by far, "Santa's Workshop", give all our elves and snowmen a big cheer!"

The snowmen and elves came out two by two, a bossy Miral, in green tunic and red tights, pulling her snowman brother forward by the hand as they lined up to start singing. Seven was just wondering how children possibly got the idea that reindeers had red noses when Chakotay touched her arm for attention, "Where did Tom go?" he whispered to her as the kids burst into an encore of "Jingle Bells".

Seven frowned as she scanned the room but couldn't find the pilot even with the help of her enhanced vision. "I don't know. Perhaps he is waiting behind the scenes for the children?"

"Maybe…" Chakotay began to reply but was interrupted by a sudden collective gasp from the stage as a "ho, ho, ho" was laughed out by a gruff voice.

The audience watched the children stare in shock at "Santa Claus", but Seven and Chakotay were shocked for an entirely different reason. "It's Tom!" Seven gasped out, "Won't Miral recognise him?" she wondered worriedly as she glanced sceptically at the false beard and loose fitting hat that to her eyes at least, barely disguised Tom Paris' familiar youthful face.

Chakotay chuckled as Miral was the first to be placed on Tom's knee."Don't worry, Tom's the best showman I've ever met, he'll pull it off." Seven smiled in agreement as she watched the little girl's star-struck face. Miral was still blissfully unknowing as she hopped off the red suited knee, clutching her small gift for dear life.

**A/n: I hope you're all happy to hear that there's one more chapter to go! PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n: Thanks for reviewing again everyone! :D Here is the final chapter, please tell me what you think. Also, "Seven's Sins" is going to be updated with one of my chapters today, "Pride", so please read that too. xXBrightsideBumblebeeXx and I really appreciate the support.**

Tom grinned sheepishly over his shoulder at his old friends as he shifted Miral's position in his arms and led them into the house. "Just make yourselves at home everybody while B'Elanna and I put our two budding actors to bed, okay?" he told them as he started to follow B'Elanna, who held an already sleeping Olly, upstairs.

"Don't we always Tom?" Harry joked as he made himself comfortable on the sofa.

"Yeah, pretty much. Don't be spilling beer on the carpet this time…" Tom began to retort good-naturedly but was interrupted by Miral's whimper of wakefulness on his shoulder. "What is it baby girl?" he asked her gently as he began rocking her back and forward, trying his best to soothe her back to sleep.

Miral however had by now noticed the party forming in her house and whined drowsily, "Don't wanna…go to bed Daddy." Her protest became more insistent as she heard her father tut in exasperation, "I want to stay up with all of you!"

"You'll see most of them on Christmas Day…" Tom explained, "…won't she?" he glanced at his friends for help.

Chakotay quickly smiled at the little girl. "Seven and I will come and visit you after Santa's been…" He ran out of steam and looked to his wife for support.

"Yes Miral, we must come and assess your and Olly's presents." Seven confirmed easily, though in truth she'd been looking forward to a peaceful day with Chakotay in what was destined to be their last holiday as a family of two, but she _did _enjoy spending time with the Paris children so it wouldn't be a huge sacrifice.

"You'll see us too Miral honey." Harry assured her with his arm around Elka. The Doctor also nodded in agreement and Miral visibly began to calm down, letting sleep begin to overtake her again.

"You're okay to go to bed now?" Tom queried softly, earning a heavy nod from his daughter, but her attention was suddenly caught by something on his face and she curiously patted his chin.

"Daddy, why do you have glue on your face?" she asked innocently, thankfully ignoring the hurriedly stifled chuckles of those around her, the Admiral had to fake a cough to cover up a giggle.

Tom froze in place for a split second, his face tingeing pink, but managed, as he had many times on Voyager, to think on his feet. "Err…I don't exactly know honey, I must've got some on me when I was helping with the costumes." He glared daggers over Miral's head when Harry snorted with laughter.

"Oh…" Miral mumbled blearily, "Okay." There was a huge, collective sigh of relief when the girl then buried her head back into her father's shirt and let him carry her up to her bedroom without another peep.

* * *

><p>The night progressed happily after that, following the inevitable teasing about Tom's costume malfunctions of course, in a cloud of comfortable chatter and nostalgia that always accompanies close friends. They only realised how late the gathering had dragged on when a slightly tipsy Harry glanced at the clock, which read a few minutes past midnight, and announced, "Merry Christmas Eve everyone!"<p>

B'Elanna laughed, "You're a little early Harry, but I'll return anyway, Merry Christmas!" She lowered the glass of wine she'd been sipping to dull the stress of the pageant furore and looking questioningly around the room, "So, what has everyone got planned for Christm…tomorrow I mean?"

"Well, Admiral Kingston has invited me to the Starfleet Masquerade Ball in the evening…" Admiral Janeway admitted, blushing as everyone in the room smirked at her knowingly.

"It's really getting serious with him now isn't it?" B'Elanna commented with a smile.

"You could say that." The Admiral conceded coyly, earning herself congratulations from all of her old officers, who were delighted to see her so obviously in love after so long.

"We were going to have a quiet day at home, but after Miral convinced us to come over…" Chakotay teased Tom with a grin.

Tom guffawed loudly, "Oh I'm sorry about that, don't feel obliged…"

Seven sat up straight on the sofa, she'd long since begun to flag and had spent most of the party letting the conversation wash over her while leaning into Chakotay for support. "We'd love to see the children, really." She told them sincerely, "Perhaps in the afternoon?"

B'Elanna chuckled, "I think that would be wise, the first rush of present opening is a test only the parents should endure."

"Precisely." Seven replied wryly as she tried to shift her taunt, tired muscles into a more tolerable position, unable to stop a small sigh leaving her lips as she did so.

Chakotay squeezed her hand worriedly, his expression creasing in worry and guilt. "I'm sorry Seven, you must be exhausted by now. Let's go home…"

Seven smiled at him wearily but still replied dismissively, "We can wait a short time longer, we have not all been together like this for a long period." She kissed his cheek as she stiffly stood up and picked up her water glass from the coffee table before heading with it into the kitchen.

She couldn't help but note that her back pain was much sharper than the niggling twinges she'd been getting throughout the evening as she walked towards the Paris' sink. With a growl of irritation, she didn't want to put a premature end to the reunion both she and Chakotay were enjoying so much, she rubbed the knotted muscles of her lower back with one hand as she filled the glass with the other. It wasn't as if she would get much quality sleep or regeneration if she returned home anyway!

That grumpy thought was just passing through her brain when a sharp, undeniable pain embedded itself into her side like a knife and radiated back round to her back. A gasping groan had escaped her throat and her body had buckled over the sink before she could really process what was happening, but reality slammed into her pain dazed brain soon enough when she registered that her entire lower body was soaking wet and she could do nothing to stop the encroaching wetness. "Oh…" She mumbled as her body began to shake uncontrollably.

"Seven?"

The voice that echoed behind her filled Seven with relief, if there was anyone she could trust to keep calm in this situation it was Tuvok. "Tuvok, will you please ask Chakotay and the Doctor to come in here?" she asked, lips tightly pressed together and fists clenched but her voice stubbornly controlled.

Tuvok hadn't needed her prompting but was impressed by her Vulcan like self-control, however momentary, nonetheless. "Of course." He assured her steadily before returning to the living room and pulling the Doctor aside. "I believe Seven is in need of your assistance Doctor." He informed the Doctor, who immediately snatched up his tricorder as the colour drained from Chakotay's face as if he'd seen a ghost and both men ran blindly to Seven, as everyone else began to exclaim in realisation.

"Everything is fine and progressing as normal, if a little bit of a surprise." The Doctor announced as he led the couple forward through the crowd. "Do you mind an emergency medical transport from your living room B'Elanna?" he asked the hostess as he pinned transport detectors to Seven, Chakotay and himself.

"No, of course not!" B'Elanna assured him hurriedly.

"I've ruined your floor, it will be repaired…" Seven mumbled to her apologetically even as she grimaced in pain.

B'Elanna gave an incredulous laugh. "Don't worry about that for God's sake! I know that labour isn't something you can control. We'll see you in a few hours when it's all over." She replied kindly, getting a grateful look from an obviously nervous Chakotay in return as the Doctor ordered the transport and the three of them disappeared.

* * *

><p>"Mr Kotay? Mr Kotay?"<p>

Chakotay's heavy lids blinked open reluctantly in response to the voice and a gentle shake on the shoulder. "What's wrong?" he choked out, instantly alert at the sight of a nurse beside him.

She laughed softly. "Nothing sir, I've only to tell you that there are several visitors waiting in the lobby to see you, your wife and children. Is it okay to let them in?" She smiled understandingly at his befuddled expression, "I'll give you a couple of minutes to decide will I?" she chirped before bending over the two cots by Seven's bed. "I was thinking you must be a popular couple to get so many visitors on Christmas Day but when I see how beautiful these two are I'm not surprised." She gave his arm a gentle pat, "Congratulations and Merry Christmas."

"Thank you…" Chakotay responded warmly as he finally came back to his senses and remembered what had happened over the last 36 hours and the glow of delighted disbelief settled on him again. "Hey…" He breathed softly over the sleeping heads of his brand new son and daughter. "Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to both of you…" He lifted his gaze from their delicate faces and settled on the pale and drawn one of his wife as she mumbled in her sleep, her eyelashes fluttering rapidly as she tensed in panic. He quickly took her hand and rubbed his fingers soothingly over the sleek metal. "It's okay, sweetheart…" he whispered as she truly began to stir.

"Cha…Chakotay?" Seven muttered in confusion, staring at their interlinked hands for a moment before sitting bolt upright in fear, wincing as she did so. "Are they still healthy?" she choked out fretfully, tears filling her eyes.

"Yes my love, of course they are." He reassured her firmly, upset by her distress. "Do you want to hold them again?" he asked, beaming when she nodded eagerly and lifting them out of the cots one by one, helping her to hold both at the same time as tears of relief slid down her cheeks and stained her smiling lips.

"Oh Chakotay, I suffered a nightmare. They were here and then…" She stopped painfully, focusing on her contented babies to calm herself.

Chakotay sighed. "I'm not surprised you had a nightmare sweetheart, you were in labour for over 24 hours and on God knows how many drugs to get you through it…" He reminded her sympathetically.

Seven caught the hint of guilt in his voice and interrupted him, "I will recover. They are more than worth _anything _I've endured." She told him resolutely before studying the babies' faces again, imprinting every detail of each of them into her memory. "I never would've believed that I could help create two beings who are so perfect…" She whispered, meeting his eyes now, "Thank you."

He leaned over their twins and kissed her, lovingly and deeply. "Thank _you_ Seven." He answered before grinning at her like a Cheshire cat, "I know you'll never be able to better these two Christmas presents!" he joked, making her laugh. "The nurse was in, she said we have visitors, are you feeling up to seeing them?"

"It's Christmas Day, I thought we wouldn't get visitors until tomorrow, considering everyone's plans…" Seven mused in surprise.

"Well, you going into labour in B'Elanna's kitchen might have changed those plans." Chakotay teased.

Seven smiled good-naturedly, even though she knew she'd probably hear that embarrassing story told over and over ,"Well then, if they're here, let them in now, the babies will both need fed again soon."

Chakotay had barely poked his head out of the door to give permission before Tom, B'Elanna, Admiral Janeway, Tuvok and Harry had all rushed in, all talking at once.

"Congratulations!" Tom said warmly, slapping Chakotay's on the shoulder, "I was more right that I intended to be when I said Seven was in for a Christmas delivery wasn't I?"

"You certainly were." Seven conceded, sinking back against the pillows in exhaustion as B'Elanna and the Admiral both seized their chance to cuddle a baby. "I did not expect any of you today, what about your plans?"

B'Elanna snorted, "Oh the kids pushed us out of bed so their presents could be opened and we could get here!"

Tom laughed at the memory. "Miral made it clear that she's disappointed that you didn't have the babies during the nativity, then they could have had a real baby in the cradle rather than a toy one, but she still sends them kisses."

The new parents both laughed at that until the baby girl in the Admiral's arms whimpered at the sound, reminding Janeway of the most important thing that had yet to be asked. "Never mind us! You haven't told us their names yet, haven't you decided?"

"We have." Chakotay assured her, looking to his wife to do the honours.

"We've decided on Nicholas, for obvious reasons…" Seven began with a smile, "…and Natalie, which is derived from the Latin name for Christmas Day."

Tuvok showed a very rare hint of a smile. "Two logical, and beautiful, choices." He remarked approvingly.

"We believed so." Seven replied softly, though she glowed with a new mother's pride, "It is apt that you are all here actually…" She swallowed nervously and Chakotay squeezed her hand, taking up where she left off.

"It's good that you're all here because we were going to ask if Tom and B'Elanna could be Nicholas' godparents and if Natalie could have Kathryn and Tuvok as her godparents."

Kathryn Janeway found herself blinking away tears. "I think that question is the best Christmas present I've ever had…" She murmured to the couple, deeply touched.

"Agreed." Tuvok stated solemnly, but now allowed himself a cuddle of his new goddaughter.

"As if we'd say no!" Tom and B'Elanna both laughed in unison.

**A/n: A VERY soppy ending to what must be my fluffiest fic ever, but I really hope you all enjoyed it, PLEASE REVIEW! :D I'll get back to my long-running fics in a couple of days but for now I wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas! **


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